The True Sounds of Mellotron and Chamberlin

The classic sound of the Mellotron has been heard on countless records of all genres since they were originally released in 1963. Often considered one of the earliest samplers, the Mellotron and its predecessor The Chamberlin worked by triggering a recording of an instrument whenever you hit the associated keys. You could change the sound of the instrument by swapping out different recordings via magnetic tape, allowing you to use the sounds of a full orchestra from a single keyboard. Due to the mechanical nature of the instrument, the Mellotron produced a unique sound all its own. For this same reason, original Mellotron’s were plagued by mechanical issues and in constant need of service. Combined with their weight (a whopping 122 lbs for the most portable version!), the Mellotron was quickly retired from touring once polyphonic synthesizers became more available.

Rebirth of a Classic

Markus Resch, a lifelong fan of the Mellotron and regular service tech since 1989, has brought back the instrument with the touring musician in mind. While he still manufactures tape-based models, the release of digital Mellotrons has brought the classic sound and feel of the instrument in a portable, less volatile package. These instruments come in a wide range of sizes, from the Mellotron M4000D which features wooden keys, polyphonic aftertouch, and a gorgeous design reminiscent of the classic models. Other models include the Mini, Micro, and Rack versions, offering the same nostalgic sounds as the original designed to fit any workflow. Mellotron have also made numerous expansion cards with additional sounds, iconic rhythm accompaniament tracks, and custom sounds recorded for bands like Yes, Black Sabbath, Wilco, and Foo Fighters.

More Than Just A Sampler

While there have been a variety of Mellotron sample-packs of varying quality released over the years, the Mellotron M4000D series uses the highest-quality, 24-bit lossless recordings of the original master tapes from the Mellotron and Chamberlin. This compilation of premium sounds covers everything you know and love from the original with some new and unreleased sounds. Bask in the legendary brass and woodwind sounds including flutes, french horn, clarinets, trumpets, and bassoons. Lift your productions with the warm orchestral sounds of violins (plucked and bowed), cellos, harps, and choirs. Explore a range of organs, pianos, accordians, guitars, mandolin, and more, all taken from the original tapes of the most historic Mellotron and Chamberlin instruments. To ensure the highest fidelity possible, the Mellotron company developed advanced streaming technology to ensure the fastest and highest quality audio streaming in a lossless 24-bit format.

Stack and Blend

On the early vintage models, an engineering “flaw” allowed players to stack sounds by jamming the sound selector in between two adjacent sounds to play them both at the same time. Obviously, this was both unreliable and incredibly limited. The new digital models expand on this idea by offering access to any two sounds at any time. With two sound slots labeled “A” and “B,” you can easily switch between two sounds for different song sections, or create entirely new blends of instruments. This opens up an entirely new world of sounds. Use the attack of a harpsichord with the sustain of a choir, pizzicato strings layered with a saxophone, or any other combination you can imagine! With the exception of the Micro, all versions of the Mellotron M4000D offer outputs for both Sound A and Sound B along with the Master Output of the blended signal.

Six Knobs, One Switch, Endless Inspiration

The front panel of the Mellotron 4000D is simple, gorgeous, and very playable. The two “Select” knobs allow you to choose your sounds while the “Mix” control lets you adjust the balance between them. A simple “Tone” control is reminiscent of the same knob on a guitar, darkening the tone for additional vibe. Fine-tune your sounds with the pitch control, or use it to make a manual vibrato! Lastly, the “High/Low” switch allows you to play the sounds at their original pitch or drop it down an octave by playing them back in half-speed, just like the original!

Bend and Color

Despite the seemingly simple controls on the front panel, the Mellotron M4000Dseries offers a number of easy to reach functions that offer a wide range of tonal colors to shape your sounds. Choose from four different Character Settings, from the sound of an M400 with bright, clean tapes or choose the darker, dirtier EQ’d tapes from the 70’s. Thin things out with the sound of the Chamberlin M1, or embrace the lush, rich sounds of the Mellotron Mk II. Add in Motor Modulation to bring in the warble of the tape’s capstan, ranging from clean and stable all the way to the gorgeous sounds of a sea-sick tape machine in need of service. You can even adjust the time it takes for the sounds to drop to pitch when you switch the half speed setting!

Built for Performance

Other handy features include the ability to save favorite sounds and create “playlists,” perfect for cueuing up your sounds for a live show. The exceptional build quality ensures a long life on the road while the dual screens let you know exactly what you’re working with at a glance, while the gorgeous design and backlighting makes the Mellotron M4000D series an eye catching instrument that looks as good as it sounds! Whether you go for the classic wooden keys of the M4000D, the slim figure of the Mini, the backpack-friendly Micro, or load the Rack version into your synth rig, the Mellotron M4000D series will bring all the sound and feel of this legendary instrument with none of the hassle!

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